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Oilers activate Hordichuk, park Hartikainen for Flames clash

Just to ensure a little more punch is added to the proceedings Darcy Hordichuk will draw into the Edmonton Oilers lineup tonight for the game against the Calgary Flames.

Teemu Hartikainen, who still hasn’t inflicted enough physical presence into his game, will sit.

“We’re looking at a game-by-game basis as to what the schedule is and the energy in the group,” said head coach Ralph Krueger, who said on Friday he’s not adverse to mixing up the lineup even after a win.

“Harti is here to learn and grow. Magnus (Paajarvi) said for the first game too. Those are great learning opportunities. They can sit with a coach up in the stands and they’ll be better the next time around. Teemu is a player we need from but he is still in the growing process.”

The rest of the lineup stays the same as the Oilers 2-1 take on the 0-2-1 Flames.

“We’re not happy with the way it’s gone but I feel like we’re playing better. We need to get our first win here at home,” said Flames captain Jarome Iginla.

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“(Edmonton) is a young team. They skate well, they move the puck well. Love the challenge. Love these games.”

The same officiating crew that mucked up the Oilers game against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday will be on the job in Calgary.

“It’s going to be my first game since April. It’s been a long time,” said Hordichuk. “But I have a pretty easy role. All I have to do is be physical and get pucks to the net.” Short shifts Czech duo Roman Cervenka and Jiri Hudler will play their first games as Flames. Hudler, a free agent signing, missed the first three games after his father passed away; Cervenka, who has yet to play an NHL game, wad been held back because of a blood clot in his leg.

Mike Cammalleri has just three shots in the Flames first game; Iginla has 16 but not one goal.

Edmonton’s Jordan Eberle has a goal and two assists in each of his last two games against Calgary; Ryan Nugent Hopkins has three goals in four games.